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Local Bridges struggling under Daniel Andrews

Posted on May 13, 2016

Member for Ripon Louise Staley has called on the Andrews Government to recommit State Government funding to the former Country Roads and Bridges Program which was introduced by the previous Coalition Government; following news that Central Goldfields Shire has been forced to downgrade the weight limit of two local bridges.

A lack of funding has recently forced Central Goldfields Shire to restrict a smaller weight limit of just 20 tonnes on Mullins Bridge in Eddington and Freemantle Bridge in Bet Bet.

A council report classified the bridges as high-risk structures and that a bridge collapse was likely.

Council has had to resort to enforcing a lighter weight limit to prolong the life of the bridges life due to a lack of funding caused by Daniel Andrews vicious cuts to the country bridges and roads program.

Ms Staley said the State Government needed to restore this funding and prove that they are interested in country Victoria.

“Country Victorians need to be able to have trust that their brides are safe and reliable, we cannot allow bridges to be downgraded and put local lives at risk.”

“Trucks carrying vital local produce will now be delayed and inconvenienced because of a State Government that has allowed local bridges to deteriorate to this extent.”

“Last year Daniel Andrews scrapped the former Coalition Government’s Country Roads and Bridges Program cutting $28m from Ripon's roads and bridges and instead announced a single bridge upgrade across all of Ripon.”